College Life | Global Immersion | College Prep
Northwestern University in Qatar
Education City, Qatar +974 4454 5100
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Discover a variety of pre-college learning opportunities for high school students through Northwestern Qatar. Offered in-person on our campus in Education City and virtually throughout the fall, spring, and summer semesters, our programs provide students with the opportunity to explore university-level topics under the mentorship of Northwestern Qatar faculty. By the end of each program, students will have developed a project that reflects their learning and strengthens their academic and university application portfolios.
Instructor: Christina Paschyn, Professor in Residence
Date: September 20-24, 2026
Time: 5:00-7:00 PM, Qatar Time
Location: Virtual via Zoom (link to be shared upon admission and enrolment in program)
Course Description:
This course introduces students to audio storytelling and podcasting. Students will learn how to create audio documentaries and various forms of podcasts. We will listen to excellent audio stories to help you learn to identify what makes for great audio production and content.
Required equipment/software
Computer
Headphones or earbuds
Smartphone or tablet for recording audio
Audio recording app: The built-in Voice Memos app on iPhone or an equivalent voice-recording app on Android is sufficient.
Audio editing software: Audacity, which is free and available for Mac and Windows. Also, Soundtrap for music making.
Online web camera for our classes.
Optional: External microphone to record better audio and interviews. A microphone that could plug into their phone/tablet or computer.
Instructor: Rana Kazkaz, Professor
Dates: October 18-22, 2026
Timing: 4:00PM - 6:00PM
Format: On-campus at Northwestern Qatar
Course description:
This course will explore the origin of telling and creating stories.
Required equipment/software:
Notepad
Smartphone
Instructor: Sarah Kaskas, Assistant Professor in Residence
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. (Qatar Time)
Description: This hands-on filmmaking bootcamp introduces students to the essentials of transforming a story into a finished scene. Participants develop a short script, practice the fundamentals of camera work, sound, directing, and acting, then collaborate as a team to bring their project to life on set. The course concludes with a guided introduction to basic editing, giving students an overview of the practical skills needed in creative filmmaking.
By the end of the program, students will have a finished script and filmed scene suitable for inclusion in a university application portfolio.
Instructor: Eddy Borges-Rey, Associate Professor in Residence
Time: 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. (Qatar Time)
Description: This hands-on course immerses students in the daily rhythms of a contemporary newsroom, equipping them with the skills to report for online platforms and social media audiences. Working individually on a news package for an online news outlet, students will learn the foundations of news reporting from the ground up, identifying stories of public interest, researching and constructing narratives grounded in evidence, conducting interviews with news subjects, and developing the editorial judgement that distinguishes journalism from other forms of online content. Alongside these reporting fundamentals, students will build practical competencies in visual storytelling, learning how images, video, and graphics carry argumentative weight in digital environments. Students will also learn fact-checking and verification by working through the standards and routines that protect both audiences and reporters in an information ecosystem saturated with misinformation.
By the end of the course, students will have produced a complete, publication- ready news package video and gained a working understanding of what it means to report responsibly for online and social media audiences.